Sunken-ship-indicating device



e. CZERERKO. SUNKEN SHIP INDICATING DEVICE. APPLICATION FlLEfi MAR; 26. I920- RENEWED APR. 6. 1922- 1,416,836,

Patented May 16, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- INVENTOR. George Kzeperka ATTORNEY.

G. CZEPEHKO.

SUNKEN SHIP INDICATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26. 1920' RENEWED APR. 6.1922.

' 1 416,336, Patented May 16, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.'

16' 11 f6 i a 17 -1r 16' 16 10 Fia-Z.

hea M 14 GEORGE CZEPEBKO, OF UNITY STATION, PENNSYLVANIA.

SUNKEN-SHIP-INDICATING- DEVTCE.

misses.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pggtqgnt ed Flay 16, 1922.,

Application filed March '26, 1920, Serial No. 368,911. Renewed April 6,1922. Serial No. 550,168.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, GEORGE OZEPERKO,Cli31 zen of Czecho-Slovakia, residing at Unity Station, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sunken- Ship-IndicatingDevices, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to a sunken shlp indicating device and it has for a general.

object to provide ship with means whereby its location may be readily seen if sunk.

More specifically the invention has for an object to provide a buoyant device on the ship which floats off when the ship sinks but remains connected to the ship by a cable.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the object and advantages thereof, reference will behad to the followlng description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

Fig. l of the drawings is an elevational view illustrating the device in operation indicating the location of a sunken ship.

Fig- 2 is a side view of the device.

Fig. 3 is an end view thereof.

As here shown my improved device comprises a float which may be made of sheet metal and may be of substantially cylindrical shape. Carried upon this float is a baillike yoke, consisting of a horizontal central portion 11 which extends longitudinally over the top of the float and end portions 11' which extend downwardly across the ends of the float, the extreme ends of the yoke projecting below the float and being thickened as at 12 to support a drum 13 which is sus pended therefrom below the float, this drum having trunnions 14 on its ends which engage in vertical slots in the thickened yoke ends.

The yoke 11 is arranged to have limited vertical movement with respect to the float l0 and for this purpose the downwardly projecting ends 11 thereof are slidabl y engaged by cleats 15 fixed to the ends of the float, while the horizontal portion 11 projects between the legs of a series of inverted U-straps 16 fixed on the top of the float. The yoke is normally held pressed upwardly against the webs of these straps by means of coiled expansion springs 17 located. between the legs of the U-straps.

Fixed to the opposite ends of the float 10 at the bottom thereof are a pair of depending brackets 20 each having air arcuate bottom edge 21 in which is formed a notch 22. Formed on the disk-like ends of the drum 1.3 are a. pair of teeth 23 which are adapted to engage in the notches. 22 in the brackets 20 and thus hold the drum against rotation, the drum beingnormally pressed bodily upwardly, to cause the teeth to engage in the notches by means of coiled expansion springs 25L located in the slots in the thickened yoke ends 12 and bearing upwardly againstthe trunnions of the drum.

The drum 13 has wound thereon and attached at one end thereto a cable 25 whose opposite end is attached to an eye 26 or other suitable device on the deck or other part of the ship,'the ship being indicated generallyby the reference numeral 27 in Fig. l and-the, deck by the reference numeral 27 in Fig. 8. When upon the ship my improved device'- may be freely supported by a forked'support 28 which projects up on opposite sides thereof.

In order that the device may be visible at night when floating on the water I mount on thedrum a light 30 which is here shown as supported on a spiderlike base on the float, the illumination from this light being preferably derived from a phosphorescent or radium composition, or other material having approximately permanent light radiating qualities so that the light will continue to glow irrespective of the length of time the device remains floating on the water.

It is believed that the manner of use of my improved sunken ship indicating device will be apparent from. the above description. l Vhen the ship sinks the float 10 sustains the device on the surface of the water. As the cable 25 is attached to the deck of the ship a pull is exerted thereon as the ship goes down and this pull, being transmitted to the drum, moves the latter downwardly against the action of springs 24, thus releasing the teeth 23 from the notches 22 and allowing the drum to rotate to unwind the cable therefrom. When the ship reaches the bot- 'tom and the pull on the cable slackens the drum is moved upwardly by the springs 24 and further rotation of the drum is prevented by the teeth re-engaging in the notches. It is to be understood of course that the springs will be of sufficient strength to prevent displacement of the teeth from the notches by pulls on the cable occasioned by the action of the wind or waves as the device floats on the water and indicates the position of the ship to which it remains connected by the cable.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows 1. In combination with a ship, a float freely supported on said ship, a drum suspended from said float to have both a rotatable movement on its own axis and a bodily up and down movement, a cable wound upon said. drum and attached to said drum at one end and to the ship at its opposite end, resilient means pressing said drum upwardly, and an interlocking device on said drum and float adapted to hold said drum against rotation when in its raised position.

2.111 a combination with a ship, a float freely supported on said ship, a drum suspended from said float to have both a rotatable movement on its own axis and a bodily up and down movement, a cable wound upon said drum and attached to said drum atone end and to the ship at its opposite end, resilient means pressing said drum upwardly, and an interlocking device on said drum and float adapted to hold said drum against rotation when in its raised position said in terlocking device comprising a pair of brackets secured to the float and having notched arcuate lower edges, and teeth carried by the drum heads engaging in said notches.

3. In combination with a ship a; float freely supported on said ship a light carried on said float a bail-like yoke extending longitudinally along the top of the float and downward across the ends thereof, cleats on the ends of said float through which the downturned portions of the said yoke engage, a series of inverted U straps fixed on top of said float through which the top part of said yoke projects, springs bearing between the top of said yoke and normally pressing the same upwardly a drum located below the float and having trunnions extending into Vertical slots in'the ends of said yoke, springs in said slots bearing upwardly on said trunnions, asp-air of brackets on opposite ends of said float and having notched arcuatc lower edges, teeth carried by the drum'heads engaging in said notches, a cable wound upon said drum and attached thereto at one end and to the ship at its opposite end. I

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature this 22nd day of March 1920'.

GEORGE CZEPERKO. 

